HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) has received a $4.99 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to begin electrifying school bus fleets across the islands. The EPA’s 2022 Clean School Bus Program Rebates will be used for the initial purchase of 20 electric and five Compressed Natural Gas buses to replace traditional diesel-powered models over the next two years.

“We are very excited to begin modernizing our school bus fleets to use cleaner energy and further reduce the carbon footprint of our schools,” said Randall Tanaka, assistant superintendent for the Office of Facilities and Operations. “Electric buses will help to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions to the immediate benefit of our communities and we thank our partners at the EPA for this step toward a cleaner and healthier future.”

The EPA funding includes $4.58 million for 20 electric buses, $260,000 for electric charging infrastructure and $150,000 for five Compressed Natural Gas models. In this initial replacement project, the new buses will be operated and maintained by school transportation service providers on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Maui. Work is underway to include Hawaiʻi Island in the next application window in 2023.

For more information on the EPA’s 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates, visit https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/awarded-clean-school-bus-program-rebates.